Take a trip down Memory Lane - October 9

David Hepburn

A peacock which was the pride and joy of the pets’ corner in Kirkintilloch’s Woodhead Park was tragically killed in a road accident.

The Herald reported: “For many boys and girls, and grown-ups too, the world is a little bit emptier following the death.”

The bird had only arrived in spring - a donation from am anonymous businessman to replace the original Woodhead peacock - a victim of severe winter weather the year before.

It had taken to wandering from the park’s bounds and had sudddenly flown out onto Lenzie Road where it was struck by a car.

The driver was taken completely by surprise and had no chance to avoid striking the peacock.

October 10, 1973

A gas cylinder shot 300 yards across a road in a new housing scheme in Milton of Campsie - during a building site fire.

The fire broke out in the site engineer’s caravan in Birdston Road and soon spread to tractors and excavators.

Gas cyclinders exploded and one was propelled across the road, coming to rest on a grass verge.

As windows rattled and flames lept into the air, parents rushed their children indoors in case of further explosions.

Nobody was working on the site at the time and firemen quickly brought the blaze under control.

Police confirmed they were investigating.

October 12, 1983

A spate of complaints led to ice cream van owners being told to turn down their chimes or risk the consequences.

Strathkelvin’s Environmental Health Committee vowed to crack down on the businesses after problems with loud music being regularly played outwith the permitted hours.

It was immediately agreed that ice cream salesmen who sounded their chimes illegally would be threatened with the withdrawal or non-renewal of their licences.

A new set of guidelines were also drawn up, advising that chimes should not be sounded for more than four seconds at a time, or more than every three minutes, and that they should only be sounded when approaching a selling point.

October 6, 1993

Bus passengers on their way home from a bingo session came under fire at the weekend from a gang of stone throwing thugs.

Terrified passengers were forced to hit the deck to avoid flying glass as teenagers stoned the bus in Main Street, Lennoxtown.

It was the second time the bus had been attacked in three days.

Bosses at Canavan’s Coach Hire, in Kilsyth, said they would boycott the village in order to protect passengers.

Bus company spokesperson Jim Canavan said: “I want to get to the bottom of this.

“It will cost more than £1,000 to repair the damage done but the safetly of my passengers is more important than the money.”

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